Kevin Rudd to face young interviewers

8 MARCH 2005

The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Security,
Kevin Rudd, will face heavy questioning from three students in a
Talkback Classroom interview at the National Museum of
Australia in Canberra.

Mr Rudd - the first of this year's Talkback Classroom guests -
will be grilled on the Labor Party's approach to foreign policy,
including its stance on sending more troops to Iraq. The students
also intend to ask Mr Rudd about his religious views and the roles
of church and state.

The students set to quiz him are: James Stergiou from Fort
Street High, Sydney; Alice McDowell, Brisbane State High School;
and Andrew Nguyen, Sunnybank State High School, Brisbane.

WHAT: Talkback Classroom with Kevin Rudd

WHEN: 10.30am, Thursday, March 10, 2005

WHERE: Studio, National Museum, Acton Peninsula

Talkback Classroom gives students access to key
politicians and public figures as part of the national civics
curriculum. Other guests this year include the Minister for
Employment and Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews; the Chief
Justice of the Family Court of Australia, Diana Bryant; and the
Labor MP for Kingsford Smith, Peter Garrett.

Two international Talkback Classroom sessions are
planned for later this year with links to Washington, DC and
Wellington, NZ.

Student preparation for tomorrow's interview included meetings
with ministerial advisers, parliamentarians, visiting experts and
members of the media, organised by the Parliamentary Education
Office.

The Kevin Rudd interview will be edited and broadcast on ABC
Radio National's Life Matters program. Talkback
Classroom can also be seen on the SBS TV program, School
Torque.